Clef Notes

“Clef Notes”#7 – March 19, 2018Abbreviated updates for students and parents

Thank you to all the students for two excellent performances in the week before Spring Break. I was very pleased with their performance at the Spartan Strings Festival(SSF) at White Station Middle. I know the SSF is a long concert, but every ensemble deserves to be heard, and the cumulative effect of hearing the growth of skills and talents was remarkable. Thank you to all the parents who attended the SSF concert. Your attendance and support shows that you are interested and invested in the success of your children and music education. A special thanks to Charlie Folsom and Dylan Willis for their solos during the Rhumba! The students should feel very pleased with their Concert Festival performance at Cordova High School. Their stage performances were inspiring, and their attention to instruction, detail, and musicality in the Sight-Reading performance was a deeply satisfying experience for me. A special thank you to Mrs. H’ng and Mr. Shepherd for chaperoning the Concert Festival trip. It takes many people to make the field trip and performances run smoothly, and they both contributed their time and talents to allow us perform at our best. As you probably know by now, we almost didn’t get to perform at Concert Festival. To be brief: the bus company cancelled the trip early Wednesday morning. Thanks to Mrs. Miller (Financial Secretary) and Coach McDonald (Athletic Director) at WSHS, we were able to get buses from another company on two hours notice (while I was teaching at another school!). This required us, however, to cancel the food court lunch stop. On the way to White Station, I picked up some donuts for the students for an early snack. I also scheduled a pizza delivery for us at Cordova High. Unfortunately, in the confusion of the moment, I ordered less than was necessary, and some students did not get any pizza. I apologize for that error. In spite of all of the frustration and confusion of the day, the students performed as well as I could ever expect! The Intermediate Orchestra received a Composite Excellent Rating for Concert Performance. The Advanced Orchestra received straight Superior Ratings for Concert Performance. Both orchestras received Superior Ratings for Sight-Reading.

And now, on to some fourth quarter activities…..

Practice Plan #7 is due April 16. Practice Plan #8 will be due May 14.

“Written” Assignments: Complete the appropriate survey: (find both on the Updates page of our website: 1. Senior Survey for May program notes 2. 2018-19 Student intent/audition form for all 9-11 graders.

The Band and Orchestra trip to Boston is March 22-25. There will be no classroom rehearsals on March 22-23.

The All-State Orchestra Clinic is April 11-14 at the Opryland Convention Center.

The Senior Recognition and Awards Concert is Monday, May 7, 7:00 p.m. at White Station High School.